Korean waves hit the city

Two secret agents working to thwart the stealing of a chemical weapon, a farmer who is obsessed with his ox and street kids trying to make it in soccer are some of the interesting stories being screened at NCPA's three-day Korean Film Festival

Our Asian counterpart in the Far East, the South Korean film industry, has created a niche for itself at a global level. Their success, in fact, led to the coining of the term Korean Wave, which denotes the rapid spread of South Korean entertainment and culture around the world. Ironically, while Bollywood films are quite popular in South Korea, Indians are still relatively unfamiliar with their brand of cinema.

My Girlfriend Is An Agent is about two secret agents on a mission

Slice of life cinemaIn an effort to boost tourism and expose a wider audience to their culture and movies, the consulate of the Republic of Korea is hosting a Korean Film Festival at NCPA. Over three days, you will be able to watch five movies (including a documentary) that will offer you a glimpse of the Korean way of life.

The movies are contemporary (they were released in 2008) and are based on diverse topics, ranging from inspiring sports stories to comic movies and spy whodunits. Interestingly, some of the movies share plots that are similar to Bollywood and Hollywood films -- Forever The Moment is similar to Chak De India while My Girlfriend Is An Agent is similar to Mr and Mrs Smith.

Cultural give and takeExplaining the background behind the film festival, Dr Seo-Hang Lee, Consul General of the Republic of Korea, explains, "The year 2011 is significant as a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) was signed between both India and South Korea.

Hence, there will be cultural exchanges on both sides. So far in India, we have had a food festival and a film screening some months ago. The Korean Film Festival is part of the ongoing celebrations and will help cinema lovers get acquainted with Korean movies, which are known for their original plotlines and touching stories," he says.

Some of the must-watch movies are A Barefoot Dream and Forever the Moment which are classic sports stories where the underdog comes up trumps. "South Koreans love movies just like Indians and these films will have a mix of comedy and action. It is sure to strike a chord with the audience," concludes Lee.